1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector and an inspection tool therefor.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,302,735 discloses a connector with a housing that has cavities, and a deflectable locking lance projects forward at an inner wall of each cavity. A terminal fitting is inserted into each cavity from behind, and the properly inserted terminal fitting is retained and locked by the locking lance.
The cavities and the locking lances are provided side by side in a width direction that is perpendicular to an inserting direction of the terminal fittings into each cavity. A detection piece of a retainer is inserted into a deflection space for each locking lance in the housing and is provided with an excessive deflection regulating portion. If the terminal fitting is left incompletely inserted, a tip part of the locking lance contacts the excessive deflection preventing portion when the retainer is inserted. In this way, the locking lance is prevented from being deflected and deformed excessively.
A properly or improperly inserted state of the terminal fitting is inspected based on whether or not an inspection tool is insertable into the deflection space for the locking lance. Connectors continue to be miniaturized, and thus terminal fittings and an inspection tool also become smaller. Additionally, relative positions of the terminal fitting and the inspection tool easily are displaced from a proper position at the time of inspection. A displacement of the relative positions of the terminal fitting and the inspection tool from the proper position may adversely affect inspection reliability. A housing may have positioning portions for positioning the inspection tool, but this complicates the housing.
The invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to enhance reliability in inspecting an inserted state of terminal fittings while preventing the complication of the housing.